FINE: Readers tell us what they think of us

Change is rarely easy. Even when it’s meant to be an improvement, it’s seldom seamless. It takes time to work out the kinks, to figure out what works and what doesn’t.

Often, we hear only from people who want everything to go back to the way it used to be.

But that hasn’t been the case with the changes we rolled out last week. In fact, most who took the time to write or call were pleased with the changes.

One longtime subscriber with nothing but good things to say is Maureen Christopher.

“I like what I see,” she wrote. “I enjoyed the Lives Well Lived feature, and the USA TODAY insert. I shall enjoy delving into your content, every day.”

Another satisfied customer is John Dale of Collingswood, one of our frequent letter writers. Like Christopher, he singled out Lives Well Lived for praise, and was especially happy with the addition of the USA TODAY content.

“Color me impressed! I always, as you know, loved the Courier, but though its small-town local flavor was nice, I thought maybe its national coverage and current affairs were lacking,” Dale wrote. “Well, if today’s Courier is any indication of what to expect, I can’t believe anyone would find fault with a more inclusive format as both local and national newspaper.”

Bill Hynick also liked the USA TODAY section. “For the first time in a very long time, I spend more time reading a newspaper than on the Internet,” he wrote.

Irv Tecker of Maple Shade noticed that the paper folds better now.

“I was absolutely delighted to get the C-P today with the SJ Scene section accurately and evenly folded. It made it so much easier to handle and read,” he wrote.

One reader who wasn’t as happy is Clifford Young.

“I was very disappointed when I read your article that USA TODAY will be taking over more of the Courier-Post,” Young wrote. “I travel a few times a year and thus am subjected to reading the USA TODAY newspaper in the hotels. The USA TODAY newspaper has no heart or soul. Its bland articles are generally not worth the time to read. The paper reports on silly polls to make news.”

Young also took issue with our expanded listing of events, worrying that it will take the place of solid journalism.

“I’m looking for reports,” he wrote. “Devoting pages to listings of local events is not reporting news. How many fewer reporters will the Courier-Post have due to this transition?”

Other readers, while generally positive, found room for improvement.

“I appreciated the extra crossword puzzle on Saturday,” wrote Michael E. Podufaly of Cherry Hill. “With the addition of the Life section, please include the puzzles from the USA TODAY newspaper.”

D. Ebbert wrote that “Change is good,” but missed the index, Business section and Weather page story, and didn’t like the way ads overshadowed some section fronts.

Some readers took the opportunity to point out aspects of the paper that have been bugging them for a while.

While calling the new format “a real treat,” Joyce M. Grimm of Williamstown criticized a change to the Obituary page made a few years ago.

“On the main list, all the names are in alphabetical order, but when you start reading each one individually, they are not,” Grimm wrote. “This doesn’t make any sense; seems to me it would be so easy to just put them in alphabetical order also; would certainly make it much easier to find details about someone’s passing much faster without having to go through all of them before finding what you are looking for.”

Tony Lazzaro was happy to see “more news than ever with the new format,” but wishes the weather page would focus more on local conditions.

“All you get is four or five words about South Jersey weather,” Lazzaro said. “It’s great for national, but who cares?”

Kathleen Logan of Sewell tempered her praise with criticism about the paper’s perceived political slant.

“I enjoyed today’s newly expanded Courier-Post very much,” she wrote. “I always look forward to sitting down on a Sunday morning to a substantial newspaper and this one met all of my expectations. I particularly liked the feature articles and more in-depth sports for our local teams.”

While Logan said she isn’t happy with USA TODAY in general or with the “obvious liberal bias” in the Courier-Post, USA TODAY and other newspapers, she was quick to add that she enjoyed the books section and best-sellers listing in the USA TODAY edition.

But she saved her warmest words for the man who brings her the paper every day: “Jeff Carr, who is the best delivery person I have ever experienced.” Logan raved about his excellent service.

“I have not had one missed delivery or a wet newspaper since going to the Courier-Postand I hope you are paying this gentleman, whomever he may be, whatever is your top rate because he deserves it.”

Thank you for your feedback. We’re listening.

M.J. Fine is the Courier-Post’s community conversation editor. Reach her at mjfine@cpsj.com.